Chocolate Yule Log
- 1 box chocolate cake mix, along with ingredients as called for
- 1 cup whipping cream
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tsp. instant coffee granules
- 1 stick butter
- 16 oz. semi-sweet baker's chocolate
- 2/3 cup heavy cream
- Spearmint leaf jelly candies
- Cinnamon red hots
- Mini marshmallows & chocolate kisses (optional)
Allow cake to cool in pan for ten minutes, then invert it onto a cloth towel dusted with powdered sugar. Peel off the parchment paper. Roll the cake up inside the cloth towel, starting with one of the short sides. Let the rolled-up cake cool completely on a wire rack.
While the cake cools, mix up the filling. This particular blend is a coffee-flavored variety that I adapted from a tiramasu recipe, but you can replce the coffee with cocoa if you prefer more chocolate. Blend the whipping cream, powdered sugar and coffee granules together to form the filling. Chill until thick and firm. After the cake has completely cooled, gently unroll the cake from the towel. Remove the towel, and spread the filling over one side of the cake, stopping about a half inch from the edge. Roll the cake back up -- this should be easy, since it cooled in a rolled-up form. Place the cake on a serving platter and allow to chill for a couple of hours.
To make the frosting, melt the butter in a double boiler and then add the chocolate. Once the chocolate has all melted, stir in the heavy cream. Let the icing sit at room temperature until it's a little thick. Spread on the cake, covering the entire roll, and then drag a fork through the icing to create a bark-like appearance on your log.
Add a couple of spearmint leaves and red hots to form clusters of holly on the log. If you'd like to add "mushrooms" to your log, stick a toothpick through a miniature marshmellow, and then poke it into the flat side of a chocolate kiss. Snip off the pointy part of the kiss, and you'll have a small mushroom. Use the toothpick to stick these on top of your log.
If you're not going to serve immediately, wrap the cake in loose plastic and refrigerate overnight. Allow the cake to sit out for about an hour before slicing.
Sunshine Skillet for Winter Solstice
- 2 Tbs. butter (use the good stuff, not margarine)
- 1 small onion, diced
- 1/2 C shiitake mushrooms, chopped
- 2 C southern-style hashbrown potatoes, thawed
- 6 eggs, beaten
- 2 C sausage, browned
- 2 C cheddar cheese, grated
- Fresh rosemary and sage
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 C Asiago cheese, grated
- 1 green onion, chopped
- 1 small tomato, diced
In a buttered or greased casserole dish, spread the potato mixture around to evenly cover the bottom. Mix the eggs, sausage, cheese, herbs, salt and pepper together in a small bowl, and then pour over potatoes. Bake in the oven at 350 for about 30 minutes. About ten minutes into the bake time, sprinkle the Asaigo cheese on top.
Remove from oven and allow to cool for ten minutes before serving. To serve, dish onto plates and garnish with tomatoes and onions.
Baked Spaghetti Squash
- 1 spaghetti squash
- 1 stick of butter
- 2 - 4 cloves of garlic, to taste
- 1/4 C freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tsp. oregano
- 1 tsp. basil
- Pinch of salt & pepper
Sprinkle the tops with Parmesan cheese, basil, oregano and salt & pepper to taste. Bake for an hour, and then check to see if squash is softened yet. If it still seems firm, give it another 15 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Scoop out the spaghetti-like strands and enjoy as a side dish or a meal!
Crockpot Wassail Recipe
15 minutesCook Time: 3 hoursTotal Time: 3 hours, 15 minutesIngredients:
Cover your pot and allow to simmer 2 - 4 hours on low heat. About half an hour prior to serving, add the brandy if you choose to use it.
- 1 Gallon apple cider
- 2 C. cranberry juice
- 1/2 C honey
- 1/2 C sugar
- 2 oranges
- Whole cloves
- 1 apple, peeled and diced
- Allspice
- Ginger
- Nutmeg
- 3 cinnamon sticks (or 3 Tbs. ground cinnamon)
- 1/2 C - 1 C brandy (optional)
Cover your pot and allow to simmer 2 - 4 hours on low heat. About half an hour prior to serving, add the brandy if you choose to use it.